The following article was originally posted on Courier Record website.

A few days before Lafayette Dickens was appointed Interim Mayor of Blackstone, I knocked on his door and told him I thought he would be chosen and congratulations, not to mention thank you for doing the job.

I said I hoped he could bring the town together, and I suggested we have breakfast in the near future; he could bring a few friends and so could I.

About a week later, a few of us gathered at The Farmers’ Restaurant (with quite a mix of politics and backgrounds); we started with a prayer, got to know each other a bit, and a few of us hugged at the end. Now we are doing this once a month. We have just had our third breakfast at Peggy Sue’s Diner with a few new faces.

“This is a good way to tear down the walls of division,” said Mayor Dickens, “We have to work together.”

Charlie Berry, Chairman of the Nottoway GOP Committee, said “Yes, it is difficult to bring us together. The general state of national politics has hardened both sides, and they are not willing to cross the aisle.”

In spite of my effort to bring different people together for a once-a-month gathering, I am not very popular in town right now with a few Democrats because I wrote an op-ed that was published on the political website, “The Bull Elephant” and in the Courier- Record about the challenges a town like Blackstone is facing.

I interviewed our Police Chief Sam Murphy and Town Manager Philip Vannoorbeeck, who explained the problems we were having with crime, etc. but they also talked about how they and their staffs are trying to steer the town in a better direction. (A positive approach with some good news.)

Nonetheless, giving my opinion, I said that not only did I not feel safe in Blackstone anymore, I mentioned that many problems stem from the Biden legacy and lenient crime laws passed by Democrats in The General Assembly. There may have been a few other points which ruffled some feathers.

Truth is I stated my opinion. To quote Pat Conroy: “If I didn’t tell the truth the way I saw it, I wasn’t worth anything as a writer.”

So I did some research and did some interviews. You don’t have to agree with me. But it doesn’t mean we can’t talk and put our heads together to help our town. Disagreement leads to discussion. I enjoy talking to people who don’t agree with me politically. It’s how we learn.

Blackstone is my home now, too, and I care deeply. What would I like to see happen in the coming years? Safer streets… less dangerous driving…criminals sufficiently punished.

I would also like to see small businesses move here – bringing jobs, community involvement, and taxpayers – and I would like this area to become more of a tourist hub. We should promote Civil War history more and cover both sides of the war as well as what slaves went through during the war and Reconstruction.

And our history doesn’t stop in 1865. This area is rich in history, culture, architecture, and lore. We can capitalize on this. Tourism equals jobs and money.

I also would like to see volunteers organize community theater again. We have a lot of local talent and stages at The Blackstone Inn, The Armory, and Mitchell’s Restaurant. This would give locals, soldiers from Ft. Pickett, and visitors something to do even if it is only twice a year.

We will not be the sort of place where people stay for a week – this isn’t Paris – but with a few things to do like shopping, good food, festivals, theater, rodeo — all with friendly people and surrounded by beautiful rural Virginia — people may stay an extra day or two.

There is so much potential here with a lot of talented people who care. Let’s agree to disagree, shake hands, roll up our sleeves, and do some good. Unity is powerful